The present invention relates to a navigation system and in particular to a navigation system for use guiding a pedestrian to a selected destination.
It is often difficult for people unfamiliar with a large facility such as a healthcare facility, airport, professional office building, college campus, sports stadium, or shopping center to find their way to a selected destination within the facility. The present invention provides a navigation system configured to direct a person to a selected destination using a card, a badge, or any other identification device or technique, such devices broadly indicated herein by the term xe2x80x9cinformation carrying memberxe2x80x9d.
The system illustratively includes an input device configured to receive information from the information carrying member, a processor coupled to the input device, and a communication member coupled to the processor. The processor is configured to determine instructions to direct the person toward the selected destination and to communicate the instructions to the person using the communication member. In some embodiments, the system may also include a database capable of storing and providing information about the person, information about the destination, and other pertinent information.
In an illustrated embodiment, the input device is an information detector configured to identify the selected destination automatically from the information carrying member. The communication member illustratively includes at least one of a display, a speaker, and a printer which provides the instructions to the person.
Also in one illustrated embodiment, the information carrying member includes a language indicator to indicate a desired language for the instructions from the communication member. The input device is configured to receive the language indicator from the information carrying member, and the instructions are then communicated to the person by the communication member in the language specified by the language indicator.
Also in an illustrated embodiment, the navigation system includes a database and the information carrying member includes an identification device. The identification device illustratively interfaces with the communication member which in turn interfaces with the database. The database indicates the selected destination as well as instructions for how to proceed to the destination from the location of the communication member. Once the communication member is activated and once the communication member interfaces with the identification device, the communication member automatically accesses the database and provides the person with instructions to the selected destination. The identification device may include portable items such as encoded cards having an interface device such as a magnetic strip, a bar coded card or ticket, an RFID coil, or the like, a badge that emits infrared or radio frequency identification signals, or the like, or may even include a stationary device such as a reader capable of distinguishing the fingerprints, retina, or other identifying characteristics of the person. In addition, the database may include information such as, for example: the name of the person so that the instructions may be personalized; any significant conditions or handicaps of the person so that if, for example, the person is color blind the instructions can be tailored to omit references to colors or if the person is mentally or otherwise debilitated and is at an unexpected location the system can alert someone to provide assistance, or any other information that may be useful.
In an illustrated embodiment, a navigation system configured to direct a person to a selected destination using an information carrying member includes an input device configured to receive information from the information carrying member, a processor coupled to the input device, and a communication member coupled to the processor. The processor is configured to determine instructions to direct the person toward the selected destination and to communicate the instructions to the person using the communication member.
In one illustrated embodiment, the information carrying member includes information corresponding to the selected destination and the input device is an information detector configured to identify the selected destination automatically from the information carrying member. In another illustrated embodiment, the information carrying member includes identification information related to the person. In this embodiment, the navigation system further includes a database configured to store a selected destination corresponding to the identification information, the input device is configured to detect the identification information from the information carrying member, and the processor is configured to determine the selected destination from the database based on the identification information. The processor may also determine the instructions to direct the person toward the selected destination from the database.
In yet another illustrated embodiment, a navigation system configured to direct a person to a selected destination includes a first station having a first input device to select a destination, a first processor coupled to the first input device, and an output device coupled to the first processor. The output device is configured to provide an information carrying member for the person. The navigation system may also include a second station including a second input device configured to receive information from the information carrying member, a second processor coupled to the second input device, and a communication member coupled to the second processor. The second processor is configured to determine instructions to direct the person from the second station toward the selected destination and to communicate the instructions to the person using the communication member.
A method is also provided to navigate a person to a selected destination. The method includes the steps of providing a person with an information carrying member corresponding to the selected destination, providing a plurality of navigation stations at spaced apart locations, identifying the selected destination a selected one of the plurality of navigation stations based on the information carrying member, and communicating instructions to the person to direct the person to one of another of the plurality navigation stations and the selected destination.
In another illustrated embodiment, a method is provided to navigate a person to a selected destination which includes the steps of providing a person with an information carrying member including identification information related to the person and storing a selected destination of the person corresponding to the identification information in a database. The illustrated method also includes the steps of providing a plurality of navigation stations at spaced apart locations, detecting the identification information from the information carrying member at a selected one of the plurality of navigation stations, determining the selected destination of the person corresponding to the detected identification information from the database, and communicating instructions to the person to direct the person to one of another of the plurality navigation stations and the selected destination.
In further illustrated embodiment, a navigation system configured to direct a person to a selected destination includes a badge configured to transmit a signal including identification information related to the person, a database configured to store a selected destination for the person corresponding to the identification information, a receiver configured to receive the signal from the badge and detect the identification information, a processor coupled to the receiver, and a communication member coupled to the processor. The processor is configured to determine the selected destination for the person from the database based on the identification information received from the badge, to determine instructions to direct the person toward the selected destination, and to communicate the instructions to the person using the communication member. In the illustrated embodiment, a locating and tracking system is also provided to receive the signal from the badge and monitor a location of the person within a facility.
Additional features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrated embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.